This is an essay about mail, post, whatever you like to call it. It is about the sort that comes through your letter box, arrives
at your door – not the kind that appears on your screen or your phone with a ‘ping’!

There’s just something.....special about it. Whenever I see the post van I can’t help hoping that it’s something good, something
pleasant. Perhaps something totally unexpected. A good few years ago I entered a competition to write an advertising slogan. When a parcel arrived about six months later I’d forgotten all about it,
but I’d won one of fifty prizes. It’s only ever happened once though.

Mostly it’s bills. Or other things along that line, such as renewal reminders, final demands.....you get the picture. Christmas
and birthdays still bring cards but fewer and fewer now, and letters, well they are almost a thing of the past.

The post van still is the one to look out for. Even with all the delivery companies and couriers, that is the one that means the
most. Maybe it’s something to do with the surprise element. Other deliverers tend to message before they arrive, and quite often get lost on the way. Then there are the phone calls giving
directions; I have them written down ready in case I need them.

And, you know, I don’t envy the postmen and women who work around here. We don’t actually have specific addresses, just areas, and
they have to learn the name that goes with each house. Needless to say, we don’t have very many new ones turning up – it takes a lot of learning!

The postal services have been in for a lot of complaints recently. And it is certainly true to say it costs more and more each
year to use it. But there’s still nothing else that can quite compare to the arrival of that post van!

I'm glad to hear you defending the letter carriers and clerks--when I worked there, there's such a lack of knowledge in the general public about what we did. It's a tough job, but most people think it's a county club gig!

AuthorReply

Comment | 24 words

Mon, June 19th, 2017 1:36pm

I know all about it, Mike. My Grandad worked as a postman for years, and so did one of my cousins. Thanks for reading!

Quite so Mama Hullabaloo. Here's something for you to get your teeth into. In rural NZ we were much like you until someone came up with the rapid system. Really it was for the emergency service to locate properties, but the postal service uses it too. Each street or road has a name of course, as you will too. Each property has a number which equates to the distance down that road. 40 = 400 metres 61 = 610 metres. The ten zero is dropped for convenience. It really does work well. Usianguke

AuthorReply

Comment | 52 words

Tue, June 20th, 2017 4:21am

Over here, Moa, they brought in postcodes, but only made the directories free to the actual post office and emergency services. Anyone else, like all the delivery firms, had to pay for access and it pretty much seems to have died a death. Thanks so much for the read and the comment.